1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a card-shaped storage medium which includes a storage medium in its inside and to an information processing apparatus in which to mount the card-shaped storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing a related art. Referring to FIG. 1, a card-shaped storage medium 201, which has a storage medium (not shown) in its inside, includes an electrode terminal portion 202. The information processing apparatus (part of which is shown) includes a connector 204 for the card-shaped storage medium 201, which is provided in the inside of the information processing apparatus employing the card-shaped storage medium 201, guide portions 205a and 205b provided on the connector 204, an electrode terminal portion 208 of the connector 204, and a printed circuit board 209 on which the connector 204 is mounted and which is incorporated in the information processing apparatus. When a user is to use the card-shaped storage medium 201, the user inserts the card-shaped storage medium 201 along the guide portions 205a and 205b of the connector 204 in the direction of the shown arrow and connects the electrode terminal portions 202 and 208 to each other. After the use of the card-shaped storage medium 201, the user ejects the card-shaped storage medium 201 along the guide portions 205a and 205b of the connector 204 in the direction opposite to that of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the state in which the card-shaped storage medium 201 is in use. As shown in FIG. 2, during the use of the card-shaped storage medium 201, the electrode terminal portion 202 of the card-shaped storage medium 201 and the electrode terminal portion 208 of the connector 204 are connected to each other, i.e., the card-shaped storage medium 201 and the internal electrical circuit of the information processing apparatus are electrically connected to each other.
However, the above-described related art has the following disadvantages.
(1) The card-shaped storage medium 201, when mounted in the information processing apparatus, is held only by the electrode terminal portions 202 and 208. As a result, if the electrode terminal portions 202 and 208 have a larger number of electrode terminals, a larger force will be needed to insert or eject the card-shaped storage medium 201. Conversely, as the number of electrode terminals becomes smaller, the force with which the card-shaped storage medium 201 is held in the information processing apparatus becomes weaker, so that the card-shaped storage medium 201 will easily come off owing to a vibration or the like of the information processing apparatus.
(2) If the user accidentally takes his/her hand off the card-shaped storage medium 201 while it is being ejected, the card-shaped storage medium 201 will drop from the apparatus and be damaged.
(3) Since the user cannot obtain a distinct click touch when the card-shaped storage medium 201 is inserted into the apparatus, he/she cannot judge whether the card-shaped storage medium 201 has been completely mounted in the apparatus.
(4) The electrode terminal portion 202 of the card-shaped storage medium 201 contains not only signal terminals, a grounding terminal and a power source terminal but also a terminal through which to detect whether the card-shaped storage medium 201 has been mounted in the apparatus. Since the electrode terminal portion 202 needs such a large number of electrode terminals, it is difficult to reduce the entire size of the electrode terminal portion 202 and a large force is needed to insert or eject the card-shaped storage medium 201.
(5) A plurality of electrode terminals are allocated for grounding and a power source to lower the contact resistance of the electrode terminal portion of the card-shaped storage medium 201.
(6) After data stored in a first child storage medium has been read into the information processing apparatus, if data stored in a second child storage medium is to be read into the information processing apparatus, the user needs to perform the awkward operation of temporarily removing a storage medium adapter from the information processing apparatus, mounting the second child storage medium in the storage medium adapter in place of the first child storage medium, and inserting the storage medium adapter into the information processing apparatus.
(7) If the user frequently repeats the operation of mounting and removing the storage medium adapter onto and from the connector of the information processing apparatus, the reliability of the connector will be impaired.
(8) In the case of an arrangement which allows the child storage medium to be removed from the storage medium adapter without removing the storage medium adapter from the information processing apparatus, since there is no locking mechanism, load, such as twisting force, may be applied to and cause damage to the connector of the information processing apparatus. This leads to a decrease in the reliability of the electrical connection between the child storage medium and the connector of the information processing apparatus.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to solve the above-described problems.
To achieve the above-described object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage medium adapter which is capable of being inserted into a storage medium inserting portion provided in an information processing apparatus and which includes a holder portion arranged to hold at least one child storage medium in an electrically connectable state, and means for allowing the child storage medium inserted into the holder portion to access the information processing apparatus. The storage medium adapter is arranged so that the child storage medium can be ejected alone when it is inserted into the information processing apparatus in the state of being held by the storage medium adapter.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is provided with means for locking the storage medium adapter during ejection of only the child storage medium. The storage medium adapter has a cutout portion, and the information processing apparatus has a locking member to engage with the cutout portion. When the storage medium adapter is inserted into the information processing apparatus, the locking member engages with the cutout portion, thereby locking the storage medium adapter.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus is provided with a storage medium ejecting mechanism, and the locking member is arranged to unlock the storage medium adapter in interlocked relationship to the operation of ejecting the storage medium adapter by the storage medium ejecting mechanism.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the information processing apparatus includes a storage medium guiding portion having a cutout portion, and the storage medium adapter has a locking member to engage with the cutout portion provided in the storage medium guiding portion of the information processing apparatus. The locking member is arranged to lock the storage medium adapter by engaging with the cutout portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the storage medium adapter has an ejecting mechanism for ejecting the child storage medium, and the storage medium adapter is locked in interlocked relationship to the operation of ejecting the child storage medium by the ejecting mechanism.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the storage medium adapter has an ejecting-mechanism operating member for the child storage medium, and the information processing apparatus has a storage-medium ejecting mechanism operating member. The ejecting-mechanism operating member for the child storage medium and the storage-medium ejecting mechanism operating member of the information processing apparatus are disposed in such a manner as to be opposed to each other across the child storage medium.
To achieve the above-described object, according to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an arrangement in which projections are respectively provided on part of guide portions for a card-shaped storage medium. In such arrangement, the card-shaped storage medium is fastened by the projections between the guide portions for the card-shaped storage medium, and the card-shaped storage medium is temporarily fastened between the guide portions during the use of the card-shaped storage medium and when the card-shaped storage medium is being ejected.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the projections are formed of material having elasticity.
According to another aspect of the present invention, members which project inward from the respective guide portions for the card-shaped storage medium are formed of material having electrical conductivity (such as metal or electrically conductive rubber). In such arrangement according to this aspect, since the projecting members having electrical conductivity are electrically connected to the internal electrical circuit of the apparatus, it is possible to reduce the number of electrode terminals of the card-shaped storage medium or to lower the contact resistance of the electrode terminals of the card-shaped storage medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, guide portions for the card-shaped storage medium, which are provided for holding the card-shaped storage medium within the information processing apparatus, are each provided with a projection and a member having elasticity, and recesses are formed in the card-shaped storage medium at locations respectively selected to correspond to the projections when the card-shaped storage medium is mounted. In such arrangement according to this aspect, when the card-shaped storage medium reaches a predetermined position between the guides, the projections on the respective guide portions are fitted into the corresponding recesses in the card-shaped storage medium, whereby users can obtain a distinct click touch.
According to another aspect of the present invention, projections made of material having elasticity are provided on part of the exterior of the card-shaped storage medium. In such arrangement according to this aspect, the card-shaped storage medium is fastened by the elasticity of the projections between the guide portions for the card-shaped storage medium, whereby the card-shaped storage medium is lightly fastened during the use thereof.
According to another aspect of the present invention, members which project from part of the exterior of the card-shaped storage medium are made of material having electrical conductivity (such as metal or electrically conductive rubber). In such arrangement according to this aspect, since the projecting members having electrical conductivity are electrically connected to the internal electrical circuit of the card-shaped storage medium, it is possible to reduce the number of the electrode terminals of the card-shaped storage medium or to lower the contact resistance of the electrode terminals of the card-shaped storage medium.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the card-shaped storage medium is prevented from easily coming off the apparatus during the use thereof.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.